I know, I know, there seems to be a lot of pink or red desserts on my blog these days. Desserts generally speaking! But I can assure you that this is not all we eat. In fact, there are always more savory things to eat than sweet. I simply cannot keep up with taking pictures of everything I make, or eat. Not enough time!

But I had to let you know about this one. It is that special!

Pourquoi ?

Tomorrow is my birthday! Mais oui ! This happens too. And being my usual self, I am so impatient that I cannot wait until tomorrow. Come on, you are like this too, n’est-ce pas ?

As long as I can remember, my birthday cakes have always included strawberries, this is how much I like this fruit. This year, I decided to rework and improve the recipe of one of my favoritecakes, Dame Charlotte, and designed this one. Regretfully and as sad as it sounds, Dame Charlotte is already no longer with us because last night, we ate it in the company of two friends.

So without waiting, let me introduce you to a special Dame, la charlotte habillée de rouge or how to make a Raspberry and Strawberry Charlotte.

All it takes is biscuits roses de Reims, a strawberry sponge cake, raspberries, a strawberry mousse, and some patience and love. Because like anything else in life, if you treat Madame Charlotte well, it gives it all back to you!

Miam ! Que du bonheur cette charlotte !

And next week, this time for good, I will be off to France. I hope to keep some posts going while I am there! Not bad for a birthday treat, isn’t it?

First of all, Happy Happy Birthday! I hope your special day is as fabulous as you are! 🙂 Secondly, that cake, and those photos, are breath-taking! And thirdly…off to France…how wonderful is that ? 🙂 All the best Bea! Have a ball!

Bon Anniversaire!! My birthday was this Tuesday, so as a May birthday, I salute you and wish you a gloriously happy birthday, with lots of pink desserts and whatnot. And yours looks SO incredible up top, that perhaps I’ll try my hand at one this Saturday for my own birthday soiree!! have a lovely time in France and a fabulous birthday!

Happy Birthday Béa!!!
That’s funny, because today morning I bought a pack of biscuit roses de Reims like that, and now I’ve just sat down to looking for a good charlotte recipe (I never knew what is inside), and your blog was the first site I’ve clicked on :-)) I hope all of my wishes will be come true like that…

Bon voyage, et soyez bienvenu ici!

(I’m sorry my poor english, but i’m just a hungarian girl who lives in France)

Happy Birthday! The charlotte looks stunning! Don’t worry about the red and pink desserts. With pictures as beautiful as yours, no one’s ever going to complain! Except maybe for the fact that they can’t eat what they’re seeing. =)

You have made my heart skipped yet another beat!!!! At last you posted the recipe of the strawberry charlotte. You are the ( “Mire poire ” of any Foodie’s soul ha! ha! )( Hope I spelt that correctly !ha! ha! It just felt good to say that.

I make these really beautiful soaps and not a bad cook and baker myself and I have just finished a sea shell and a Savon de marseilles bar. I would like to send you some because an artist like you need to be appreciated!!! Please tell me where to???

Everytime when i unleash yet another of my creations, my husband always say ” Sweetie, you have just brought us closer together” ha! ha!

Wow is that a beautiful creation. Came upon it as I was searching for recipes using Roses de Reims. But I have to admit – I can’t see where I find the recipe to go along with the fantastic photos. Help?

Oh Bea, I love your website!! And have found myself often returning to this particular dessert wondering if perhaps you’d be so kind to provide us with the recipe so that we can also share in the Charlotte joy?

This Charlotte cake looks amazing! I’m thinking of making it for Mother’s day. I went to the website listed on your stylefeeder to purchase the champagne biscuits (www.cybercucina.com) and unfortunately it is out of stock. I also found another website,chefshop.com, but the are out of stock as well! Can you recommend any other websites. Thanks!

Perhaps you are withholding the recipe to include it in your upcoming cookbook? My fingers are crossed this is the case, since I have been checking back for the recipe since I first laid eyes on the glorious creation. With berries coming into season I am dying to emulate your culinary prowess, however I doubt that I am talented enough to bake ‘off piste’ i.e. recipe-less, no no, I need to follow carefully crafted instructions. Please divulge your secrets Bea, we have an ache for Berry Charlotte burning in all of us!

Béatrice Peltre is a food writer, stylist and photographer working out of her home studio in Boston.
She is a regular contributor to the Boston Globe Food Section, and her work has appeared in many publications
such as Saveur, Food and Wine, Whole Living, Fine Cooking, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, the Huffington Post,
the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Edible Boston, Living France, the New York Times Diner’s Journal,
and in many other international magazines.